Whales and Dolphins of the Gulf of Mexico

2,27
MB

42
stron

4858
ID National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

1996
rok

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dolphins and Whales are Mammals 4

What is a Marine Mammal? 4

What is a Cetacean? 4

Baleen and Toothed Whales: How are They Different? 5

Dolphin or Porpoise? 6

How Many Types of Marine Mammals are There? 7

Marine Mammals of the Gulf of Mexico 8

Whales and Dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico 9

The Bottlenose Dolphin 15

Some Facts about the Gulf of Mexico 17

Gulf of Mexico Cetacean Research 18

Cetacean Evolution 20

Interesting Biological Facts about Cetaceans 20

Life Through the Senses of a Cetacean 24

Strandings 27

Some Threats to the Gulf’s Cetaceans 29

Laws that Protect Marine Mammals in the Gulf of Mexico 32

Activity–Recognizing Individual Bottlenose Dolphins 33

Suggested Activities 36

Marine Mammal Word Find 38

How are Marine Mammals Classified? 39

Key Terminology and Pronunciation 40

Suggested Further Reading/Reference 41

Surfing the Web? Look Here 41